Sean The Shrink
by callmetash
Summary: When listening to Finn and Rachel's dilemmas, Sean Fretthold wonders if he really needs a shrink. Spoilers from 1x18, Laryngitis and continues into Season 2. Contains some swearing.
1. Prologue: Laryngitis

Sean the Shrink

_When listening to Finn and Rachel's dilemmas, Sean Fretthold wonders if he really needs a shrink. Spoilers from 1x18, Laryngitis and continues into Season 2._

**Prologue: **_**Laryngitis**_

"Sean, Finn's here to see you."

Although he's used to being visited by Finn, Sean Fretthold still gives himself a little pep talk. He's been this way for a while, but he still feels like crap when he sees that gangly boy enter his doorway, swaying awkwardly. So, he tells himself to grow some balls, and get the hell over it.

A few seconds later, Finn Hudson walks in through said doorway, tall frame bent over, his face in a grin, hand in a fist, as he says, "Fretter."

Sean sees his hand go up as Finn makes a clicking sound, like the ones he used to make when he was able to bump fists with the Quarterback. However, a flash of something drags his attention to a midget of a girl still standing at the doorway, looking shocked at what she's seeing. Somehow, Sean knows who she is, and he knows Finn hasn't told her about what happened to him.

Well, it wouldn't hurt to embarrass the boy, and so he does. Then it gets down to the serious crap, and Sean tells Rachel Berry his story, and she looks terrified. The story is something Finn has heard on many occasions, so he just watches Rachel as she listens. As he talks, Sean can't help but think on how many ways he was gonna take the shit out of Finn for being such a pansy. He wasn't lying when he said he liked her. Like was the understatement of the fucking century.

When Rachel Berry says thank you before she leaves, Sean is genuinely confused. All he's told her is the depressing story that is his life. But as his mom helps him with his useless physical therapy, he realises what she thanked him for.

It was the first time he felt like a shrink, but it wasn't to be the last.


	2. One: Dream On

**Well, wow. I just opened my email up today, and I almost flipped at how many emails I got on this story! Really, I just wanted to put it up as a test run, so I'm really glad you guys thought it was all awesome.**

**Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

_**Disclaimer: Don't own **_**Glee. **_**It's Ryan Murphy's and Fox's.**_

* * *

**One: **_**Dream On**_

It's about a week and a half since Finn came with Rachel, and since then, Rachel has come twice for singing lessons. However, Sean didn't expect Finn to visit for another week. So when his mom says, "Sean, Finn's here to see you," Sean quickly gives himself another pep talk. Finn must be happy about something. It's the only time his visits become more frequent.

But Finn looks anything but happy as he lingers in the doorway, and thanks Sean's mom. Even as she leaves, he makes no attempt to come closer. Sean knows Finn isn't sick, or anything, and he's decent, so whatever the hell he came over for was pissing him off a lot. The last time he saw Finn like this was when he found out his girlfriend's baby wasn't his. God, he had never seen _anyone_ so angry before, and he was pleased to say he didn't look nearly as mad. Just… bummed.

"You look like crap," Sean says as a greeting.

Finn looks up. "Gee, thanks." But one side of his face pulls up his lips into a crooked grin.

"Are you gonna stand in the doorway, or are you gonna sit down? What I've got isn't contagious, you know."

Finn slowly trudges his way over to the chair closest to him, and sags into it, as if all the fight has left his body. He sighs, covering his head with his hands. They say nothing for a long while. Sean knows Finn will talk when he's ready, and he's so used to waiting and doing nothing that it doesn't seem long until Finn says, "My life is sucking balls, right now, man. I don't know what the fuck to do."

Sean rolls his eyes, despite the fact no-one will see him as he does so. "Let me guess—this is about Rachel and her 'sort-of' boyfriend."

Finn sighs again, and that's all Sean needs as confirmation. And all of a sudden, Finn is projectile vomiting words, and they flood his head as he tries to make sense of all of them. _Bad reputation… Glee assignment… Rachel, Puck, Jesse… triple-cast! Glist… Run Joey Run… Spring Break, Vocal Adrenaline… _

"And now he's fucking back, and she just welcomes him with open arms," Finn finishes angrily.

"Dude, I have no idea about what the hell you just said," Sean replies. "So summarise it, and then come back to me."

Finn's story comes out slower now, less blurted and rushed, with more pauses as Finn tries to decide what 'important information' should be included. Finally, Sean's got it. And he realises Finn's mad because Rachel's boyfriend is back.

"Well, she _did _say she had a 'sort-of' boyfriend," Sean says after he has absorbed all this information. "And sort-of means about a fifty-percent chance they were still together. And they were."

"That's totally not helping."

"And who the fuck said I'm here to help?"

Finn sits with him for another half hour, muttering about things that have been happening at school, and all this other crap, before he realises what the time is, and starts cussing over the fact he's late for dinner (well, at least he _thinks _he is, considering his mom might be on a date) and he has homework he needs done by tomorrow.

"Thanks for listening, Fretter," Finn says, as he turns back around at the doorway.

"It's okay." He really doesn't mind.

Being some sort of shrink really isn't that bad. It makes him take his mind off things, and he realises that he's got even _more _stuff going on. His own shrink would be proud.

* * *

Rachel comes back for singing lessons four days later.

Sean doesn't really need a pep talk for Rachel's visits, because the only one she has come unexpectedly for was her first solo visit. When she says five pm sharp, Sean swears he can hear the doorbell ring precisely when the second hand of his clock hits twelve.

So, naturally, he's unsurprised that at 5:00:15 pm, his mom walks through his door, and says, "Sean, Rachel's here for your singing lessons." He notices a little wistful smile on her face as she departs, leaving the small brunette in her place.

By now, Sean is used to her strange attire, her punctuality and her bright mood, no matter the occasion. So, again, he is not surprised to seeing her with an owl on her jumper, mustard socks, and a ridiculously short skirt (no wonder Finn said her body was smoking, he muses).

However, he _is _surprised to see that Rachel's face seems slightly crestfallen, troubled. And that sparkly personality that he relates to a gold star is missing, and it's making Sean unnerved.

If this was Finn, he would've totally been like, "You look like _fuck_, Hudson." But Rachel was a girl, and in the short time he's known her, he knows she doesn't tolerate what he calls swear words, and what she calls profanities. So, instead, he asks what's wrong.

Rachel looks up, startled, as if she thought she looked totally fine. But Sean's learnt to read people, especially their pity and their despair. And Rachel's not exactly hiding it. Still, the actress she is, she tries to keep up the façade. "I'm fine, Sean. I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

Sean raises an eyebrow. "Excuse my bluntness, but I'm not a dumbass. And you, Little Miss Sunshine, are missing your sunshine."

It was a lame joke, sure, but Rachel sits elegantly in the chair Finn had sloppily plopped into less than a week before, ready to explode with his problems with Rachel. If Rachel started talking about problems with her boyfriend and Finn… God, Sean was gonna lock them in his closet (well, at least _ask _someone to lock them in) and let them out only if they came out a couple.

"It's about my… my mother," she says softly.

Oh. Well, there goes Operation Closet, Sean thinks. Aloud, he asks, "Were you just raised by your dad, or something?"

"No. I have two gay dads. My mother was just a surrogate."

Sean thinks it odd to have two gay dads, especially in Lima, Ohio, but this is _Rachel Berry_, and nothing about her is particularly normal. So he asks her what's up with her mom.

"My boyfriend, Jesse, tried to help me find my mother. I just wanted to see who she was. And then… well, he found a tape," she says softly, looking down at her shoes. "He wanted me to listen to the tape, but I wasn't ready. And then he kinda… forced it on me. He turned it on, and left me alone. She was singing on that tape, Sean."

Sean says nothing, and although Finn's one of his mates, this girl needs someone to talk to. And Sean promises her silently he won't tell Finn. She'll tell him when she's ready. "Was she any good?" he asks, trying to be helpful.

Rachel looks up, and he notices the tears in her eyes. "_Good_? Sean, she was _amazing_. But now… I'll probably never find her. She might even be dead, for all I know." The wetness in her eyes begins to cascade down her cheeks, and Sean feels bad for the small girl.

"Come here, Rachel," he says, and she comes up to him. "It must really suck. But I'm sure, if you're meant to find her, you'll find her. At least you know where your supreme vocal chords come from, right?"

For the first time that afternoon, a smile (albeit a watery one) graces her face. "You're right. How about we start some vocal exercises to warm up, and then we'll sing some Queen?"

Sean smiles. "Sounds alright to me."

He hears the silent _thank you_ in her words.

* * *

**There you go! Please review! (:**

**~tashieeeee.**


	3. Two: Theatricality

**Two: **_**Theatricality **_

A week after Rachel's last visit, Finn visits again. Sean figures that the boy has too many problems. He gives himself his little pep talk (they shrink each time Finn comes over, and he's been coming over a lot), and the boy walks in, half shocked, and half mad.

"I don't _believe _it!" he exclaims, as he walks to Sean's bedside, taking his useless hand before dropping it. Finn looks agitated, Sean notices, as he runs his hands furiously through his cropped hair.

"What happened now? And I swear to God, if it's about your love life and Rachel, I am gonna puke."

Finn looks at Sean, and rolls his eyes. "No, it's not about Rachel. It's about my mom and Burt. They've… they've taken their relationship… to the next level."

"Dude, they're getting married?"

"What the fuck? _No._ Mom's moved us into the Hummels' place, and I really don't like it there. I don't give a rat's ass if it has two and a half bathrooms, or a big TV, because I have to share a room with _Kurt_!"

Oh, Sean had heard about Kurt. According to both Finn and Rachel, Kurt was 'lady fabulous' (yes, gay). And Rachel told him that she knew Kurt was in love with Finn. Sean was guessing Finn kinda knew. Oh, this was _awkward_!

"Okay man," he says to Finn, turning his head slightly. "Grow some fucking balls, and get over it."

"I can't! I have to share a room with _Kurt, _who's fucking _in love with me_! I'm so scared that he's gonna, like, _perve _on me, or something, that I put my underwear on in the shower. _The shower!_"

Sean can't help it. He laughs. He laughs really hard. It's the first time in a long time that he laughs and tears come to his eyes. He feels his lungs protesting, but he keeps on laughing anyway. Finn looks completely mortified, and ready to rip his balls off.

"Dude, it's not _funny_."

"Yes, it fucking is!"

Sean doesn't allow Finn to bring up the conversation again without him laughing his ass off. Finn begins to hit his arm when he does so, and he looks kinda pissed. But the situation was so _hilarious_. Finn's life was turning out to be a fucking soap opera.

When Finn leaves that afternoon, he looks bummed and confused. And as much as Finn is Sean's only friend and he should've tried to help him, Sean finds entertainment in seeing the boy squirm.

* * *

Rachel, on the other hand, is a different matter.

Rachel is the first (teenage) girl he's been around since his accident, and she's pretty cool, when you look over her strange sweaters and love for knee socks. She looked really vulnerable when she last came over for singing lessons, and he figures that Rachel needs his help more than Finn.

However, he was expecting to help her more when she comes over for her next singing lesson. However, she does the unexpected: she comes over two days after Finn (with no warning).

When his mom says, "Sean, Rachel's here to see you", Sean gives himself a pep talk, thinking it's the beanpole of a boy who has come to see him. Instead, it really is the petite brunette, who has red, puffy eyes, and is huddled in a corner of his room.

Like Finn, when he's at his worst, Rachel doesn't need any direction to start talking, and the next three words that leave her mouth leave him shocked. "I've met her."

Sean doesn't need some sort of guessing game to figure out who the hell she's talking about. He can tell by the way she's acting. He doesn't even need to ask, "Your mom?"

Instead, he says, "Who is she?"

Rachel takes a deep breath, but nothing comes out. At least, until she says, "Shelby Corcoran. Vocal Adrenaline's director."

He'd also heard of the dreaded Vocal Adrenaline (Finn told him a lot, okay?) and he knew this was pretty big, especially for Rachel. "You aren't thinking of jumping ship, aren't you?" Sean asks, wearily. Finn would kill himself if she did.

"No! No, of course not," Rachel says quickly. "New Directions is my family, and I'm their captain—okay, _co_-captain. And I like being the big fish in the small pond."

Sean had to laugh at her reasoning. It made sense, after all. From what he'd heard, Carmel's Glee Club were the national champions.

"Since I'm here, we'd better have a lesson," Rachel says, and her face hardens slightly with concentration. "Let's try some modern rock. How about… Fall Out Boy?"

* * *

About five days since Finn came over the first time, he returns. Like Rachel before him, he looks a little scared, and pitiful. He is also holding a duffel bag, and he looks majorly guilty.

"What the fuck happened" are the first words out of Sean's mouth.

"I got myself kicked out," Finn replies. And before Sean can add, "How the _fuck _did you do that?" Finn says, "I called Kurt's redecoration faggy."

Sean doesn't say anything else, after that. He lets Finn explain, and he looks kinda like an old man when he's finished.

"I didn't mean to," Finn said, once the whole tale is finished. "It was just really awkward for me, and every other shitty thing in my life was kinda added on… and then he didn't understand why I didn't like it, and he snapped at me… and it just kinda all exploded…" he sighs again, his head in his hands. "The reason why I feel like fuck is because I didn't stuff up something for _me_. I fucked up something for my mom. She deserves to be happy, you know? She loves him. And I ruined it for her."

Sean again says nothing. He's not angry at Finn (why the hell would he be?), but he's thinking. And feeling just as guilty. If he had helped him…

"It's not your fault, if that's what you're thinking," Finn says.

"Well, it's not really your fault either."

"How the fuck _isn't _it? I yelled at Kurt, and basically called him faggy! I've probably ruined my mom's relationship, my friendship with Kurt, and if Rachel hears about this—"

"How did _Rachel _get into this conversation?"

"She has two gay dads! If she hears what I said, she'll think I'm an asshole! Scratch that, I _am _an asshole."

"I'm not denying you're an asshole—"

"Thanks, man."

"—But this isn't all your fault. No one knows that Kurt's in love with you, or how awkward this was for you. Your mom didn't ask if you were cool with it. Your situation with Rachel isn't really happy, and although you were fucking bonkers when you found out Quinn's baby wasn't yours—"

"You're really rubbing my wounds with salt, aren't you?"

"I'm trying to help, Hudson. Anywho, you've been in a shitty place, and nothing's really helped. You were about to explode eventually, and I gotta say, that the awkwardness in sharing a room with Kurt must've been painful, and you were bound to crack."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"At least now," Sean says, after a little bit of thought, "You can move forward."

For the first time that night, the right side of Finn's lips quirk into a grin. "Thanks, man. Think I can stay the night?"

"Sure. Just call your mom."

Finn decides to send her a text, and Sean sees what he sends.

_Mom, I'm sorry. I'm staying at Sean's. Tell Kurt and Burt I'm sorry, too. I love you. Finn._

* * *

The next day, Finn's mom tells him to return home, and he phones Sean to tell him that his mom gave him a big lecture, but Finn told her his side of his story (after she promised not to tell Burt) and she has (sort of) forgiven him.

"That's great, man," Sean says, proud of his friend.

"Yeah, but that was the easy bit."

"How so?"

"Cause now I have to apologise to Burt and Kurt. And that's gonna be ten times harder."

Sean has to agree.

* * *

Two days after Finn gets kicked out of the Hummels' place, Rachel comes to see Sean for their 'official' lesson. This time she actually has sheet music, and a whole heap of it. He also notices a cup with a gold star on it, but says nothing about it.

"Hey," he says, when she arrives.

Rachel, who is strangely wearing a red dress, smiles at Sean. "Hello," she smiles. "I brought a lot of my sheet music today. Perhaps you'll find a song you really want to sing, and then we'll work on it?"

As Rachel flicks through the music for him, she says, "I sung with her today."

This time, Sean has no idea who she's talking about. Rachel responds with her best "My mom, silly", and she begins to explain how awesome it was to sing _Poker Face _with her mother (the slow, acoustic version, of course).

"She also made me a Lady Gaga costume for our theatricality assignment," Rachel adds.

But Sean can see that Rachel's trying to hide something, and he probes gently. It's then Rachel reveals that Shelby Corcoran wants to keep a little bit of a distance from her daughter.

Sean Fretthold has never met Shelby Corcoran, but he now thinks she's an ass. (He doesn't say this to Rachel, though.)

"Well, it's probably for the best," Rachel concludes, as Sean sees a song that catches his eye. "So, some Linkin Park today, huh?"

Sean nods. "I can totally relate to feeling numb."

After a period of silence, Rachel adds, "I think I can, too."

* * *

Finn calls again that night, expressing a shit load of agitation. "Kurt thinks I'm a jerk."

"Well, you kinda were."

"Dude, that isn't _helping_!"

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again. The fuck said I'm here to help?"

"Whatever. Do you have any ideas?"

And as Finn formulates his plan, Sean wishes more and more that he could ask Rachel to bring a camera to school.

* * *

**And… that's a wrap!**

**Well, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. This was kinda hard to do, considering a lot of stuff happened (both very different stuff) happened to both Finn and Rachel. So yeah, I tried.**

**So, please review! Reviews are like crack to me. ;)**

**~tashieeeee.**


	4. Three: Funk

_**Disclaimer: Glee**_** belongs to Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan (the other two writers never get enough credit for **_**Glee**_**, don't they?)**

**

* * *

**

**Three: **_**Funk**_

It's reasonably quiet for a few days.

It's odd for Sean. He is so used to the frequent visits he gets from Finn and Rachel by now—the two people who are always ready to drop all of their problems off on him. Not that he cares, of course. In fact, their problems makes it easier for him to forget his own, and he now wonders if the two of them are in more need of a shrink than he is.

But it's only quiet for a few days, with the occasional call from Finn, and a text from Rachel (_I got you some pictures of Finn in a Lady Gaga outfit—thought you might want them. Rachel*_), before Finn comes to the Fretthold residence, once again, full of emotion.

He's bummed, and a lot angry. Sean no longer needs to give himself a pep talk, and is unfazed by Finn's attitude.

"I can't _fucking _believe this!" Finn almost roars, once Sean's mom is out of earshot. "How he could do this to us? To _her_?"

Since most of Finn's problems are about Rachel, Sean can't help but assume that Finn's going on about Rachel's "ass" of a boyfriend, Jesse. He assumes correctly.

"Well, you've got all your solos back, haven't you?" he tries to joke.

"Yeah, but Jesse's a fucking star. We could've won at Regionals with him in our club, not in Vocal Adrenaline. Plus, he hurt Rachel and he TPed our choir room."

"Wow, like TPing a room is such a major crime."

"Well, Puck and I are planning to do something."

"Puck?" That name hadn't come up in friendly terms for a long while now, not since Babygate had broken out (yes, he calls it that, too). "Oh dear God, please not telling me you're doing something stupid."

When Sean hears Finn and Puck's idea, he groans. If his arms still worked, he would've slapped his forehead, and Finn's too. "That's _really _stupid. They could chuck you in jail."

"Yeah, and who says we're gonna get caught?"

"Your funeral, boy. It's been nice knowing you."

* * *

Two days later, he gets a text from Finn:

_You jinxed us. Now we have to get jobs to pay for the damages. I almost got expelled!_

He gets his mom to text back, _What did I tell you? Your own fault._

Finn doesn't reply.

* * *

Rachel comes for singing lessons a day later, her smile dimmed once more. Sean almost sighs, wanting to punch this Jesse kid's face more making her feel down. He had her smiling before she left last time, and now he'd undone all his hard work…

"How would you feel about singing some more Linkin Park today?"

He picks the song _In The End _to reflect his mood. Rachel praises him on his improving vocals, and says nothing else, seeming distant. He thanks her for the compliment, but doesn't say anything about Jesse or his 'betrayal' to New Directions. He figures she needs to sort it out by herself, and she'll look for help if she wants it.

* * *

"Hey, man."

"Hey, delinquent."

"That's not funny."

"Oh, it totally is."

Finn talks about his new job at Sheets n' Things, and how he and Puck are being constantly assaulted (which Sean reminds him, is _totally _his fault). However, as luck would've had it, he just got himself promoted to Assistant-Assistant Manager (which Sean laughs himself stupid at. That's _seriously_ a position)? And he was planning to do a funk song called _Good Vibrations _with Puck.

"It's by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch," Finn informs him. Sean doesn't think the song is actually a funk song (well, if he uses Rachel's definitions, which were almost always correct), but he says nothing. Finn seems really excited.

Instead, he says, "You and Puck, huh? You mates again?"

Something which Sean takes as an icy silence passes through the phone. "Well, he hasn't apologised yet, but Puck doesn't apologise," Finn finally says. "And we gotta stick together. I don't _really _forgive him, but we're sort of cool."

Sean Fretthold remembers Noah Puckerman only vaguely (he sort of met him at his last football camp), but something tells him if Finn said that to him, Puck would've probably been really happy he was (sort of) forgiven.

* * *

On Thursday afternoon, an hour before Rachel is supposed to come over to his house for lessons, she calls. "I'm sorry, but something's come up, and I can't come over today," she tells him, her voice sounding disturbingly flat and very scratchy, as if she just stopped (or was stopping) herself from crying.

"Okay then," he says, respecting her wishes. But he voices the main concern on his mind. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I'm fine," he hears her say, and he can tell she's fighting to keep her voice steady. "Look Sean, I've got to go. I'll see you in a few days… perhaps next week, okay?"

He doesn't get to say goodbye, nor does he receive one, because the line goes dead.

When his mom takes the phone away from him, and leaves the room, he can't help but picturing a tragic, crying Rachel, wearing pyjamas with stars on them, and a ratty gown, her hair a mess. She'd probably go fetch a tub of Ben and Jerry's from the freezer (granted she ate that—she had mentioned she was a vegan a couple of times), and watch _Funny Girl _as tears cascaded down her cheeks. And as much as he wants to vanish this image from his mind (because she's his friend, and even in his head, he doesn't wish to see her so upset), he can't. It sticks.

The image haunts him as he sleeps.

* * *

He understands the reason for Rachel's sadness when Finn comes over at 6:23pm the next day. Sean knows he's ready to rip someone's face (and balls) off just by taking one look on Finn's murderous face. Sean ranks this anger second only to the rage of Babygate (and it's not really that far off).

Now, so accustomed to saying a little "Keep it cool, Sean" in his head before Finn enters, he's surprised when he realises he doesn't give a fuck about the way he looks, and wants to know what the hell had happened to make Rachel so upset. He doesn't need to say anything, as usual. Finn was already exploding.

"The fucking bastard! I'll have to admit, as much as he's talented, I wanted him gone, but he really _hurt _her. And as if that isn't enough, he has to go and do this?"

Sean is beginning to rethink his list of "Top Ten Mad Finn Moments". He's not so sure if Babygate really takes the cake anymore.

Finn tells him everything, the way Rachel told him. She went out to meet Jesse, to talk, as he was waiting for her in the parking lot. She was greeted by Vocal Adrenaline, and dozens of eggs as they pelted her body. Jesse had cracked the last egg on her forehead, just after he told her he loved her.

"And last night she couldn't sleep because she was haunted by all the baby chickens and Mr Schue wouldn't let us go over to Carmel to bash the fucker's face in."

"Wait… 'us'?"

"Yeah. Me, Puck, Mike, Matt, Artie, Kurt—"

"I thought Kurt didn't like Rachel, and Artie was in a wheelchair."

"Yeah, Kurt was pushing him. We were all going because they all wanted to show him only they could mess with Rachel. I just wanted to kill him. You… you know why."

Sean definitely knows why, and he nods his head in understanding. Finn says nothing else, although he looks like he needs more off his chest. So he asks what the club are gonna do next.

"Well, Mr Schue called Jesse on Rachel's phone. Said to meet us in the auditorium on Friday at three. We're doing a funk number. That's why I came so late."

Sean made Finn show him all the moves he had learnt, and the boy blushed with embarrassment, trying to scream his protests. But he was relentless, and Finn finally busted some awesome (albeit slightly un-co) moves.

As Finn leaves, Sean thanks Finn for letting him know what happened to Rachel, and that Jesse the fucking Jerkwad (yes, that's what he was calling the fucker now) wouldn't know what hit him.

A smile creeps upon Finn's face as he shrugs. "Rachel's your friend, too. And I know you would've helped us."

For the first time in a long while, Sean Fretthold doesn't want his body back just for his popularity, or the joy that came with playing a football game. No, he didn't want his body for himself. For the first time in a long while, Sean Fretthold wanted his body back for someone else.

For a friend.

* * *

**Sorry this took so long. I've made a promise to myself to at least be one chapter ahead, and I've been stuck on the **_**Journey **_**chapter for a while, so I wanted to be finished before I posted this.**

**Anywho, after the **_**Journey **_**chapter, I'm planning to do a Summer chapter. If you've got any ideas for what I should write about (because, honestly, I have no idea, but I think there SHOULD be a Summer chapter), please tell me what you think in your reviews!**

**~tashieeeee.**


	5. Four: Journey

**Four: **_**Journey**_

Operation _Give Up The Funk _is deemed a success, and Rachel comes over the evening Finn calls, a light in her eyes that Sean has been searching for a while, and is glad that it has returned. He will never care for Rachel like Finn does (besides, it would be just plain cruel to do that to Finn, and to himself) but Rachel was one of his closest friends, and he was glad to see her smile—and he meant genuinely smile—for the first time in a long time.

She sings some music from _Funny Girl _and _Wicked_, and teaches him some of the song _Good Vibrations_ (which Sean grins at, knowing why she has picked it). When he casually asks how Finn's doing, he sees her eyes light up slightly and her mouth quirk at the corners before she answers, "Oh, he's fine."

Sean is tempted to raise his eyebrows, but he doesn't. (Well, just.) Instead, he opts to sing another song: _Vertigo _by U2. He can tell Rachel is surprised at how well he's singing; he got his mom to download the sheet music so he could practice while Rachel was in her 'funk'.

"You know, we could really use your voice for Regionals!" she giggles. "It's not too far away."

He knew that this competition was coming, but he doesn't expect that it was coming so soon when Rachel says it's a week from Saturday. Her face darkens when she mentions the competition, but she smiles brightly to clear it up, telling him to practice on the Linkin Park songs she has picked out for him.

* * *

The one thing Sean has learnt by now (sad as it may seem) by talking about Finn and Rachel's life problems over the past few weeks, is that when something makes them happy, it doesn't take long for something else to make them angry (or sad, in Rachel's case).

This is no exception.

Sunday morning, Finn comes over. His face is haggard as if he didn't get any sleep. Sean taunts him, but Finn just looks at him blankly, as if all the life has been sucked out of him. His insults run dry as he sees the utter hopelessness in Finn's eyes. He knows what that feels like. He's been there.

"I'm sorry, man. What's up?"

Finn's voice isn't as flat as his eyes, but the fighting spirit Sean hears in it is still weak, muted. "Coach Sylvester's judging. She's had it out for us since day one. We're screwed. Glee's pretty much over. I'm still sure we can place, but Rachel bailed. She thinks we can't, either. So everyone else is depressed."

And so are you, Sean is _so _tempted to say, but doesn't. Finn really doesn't really need a reminder. Like he's said, he's been there. He's still kinda is. He doesn't need it rubbed in his face that everyone can either walk (or the wheelchair kid can move his arms) while he can't even manage a twitch.

"I don't know what to do. I'm supposed to be a co-captain. But I can't do anything, you know? I realised that I wasn't a leader. Rachel's the Queen Bee of the Glee Club. She runs everything. Without her and Mr Schue, there _is _no Glee Club."

Sean knew that Finn cared for Rachel. A lot. But he had seen Finn grow from a little squirt (well, at least a lanky beanpole, because Finn Hudson had never been _short_) to this person he barely recognised. And Sean could finally understand just how much Finn cared for Rachel. He loved her.

"Dude, you're motherfucking whipped," Sean says, with a smile. "Congratulations. I believe you're some sort of man now."

Finn's eyes meet his own, a very tiny spark just visible in the depths of them. "What do you mean?"

"You don't just like Rachel, dude. You love her."

"No, I don't. Do I? Is it that obvious?"

"It's as obvious to me you're in love with Rachel as it is to everyone else that I'm disabled."

And although Finn winces, Sean sees the little quirk of a smile on his lips as he finally accepts this fact, like he was afraid to embrace it before. But now Jesse St Motherfucking Douchebag was gone, Finn has a chance.

And Finn's smiling, so that has to be a good thing, right?

* * *

Finn texts him that Monday.

_She kissed me. _

Sean feels like whooping. Operation Closet is a success. (Okay, so it didn't happen in a closet, but the aim has been reached.) He wonders whether he should give a response. He decides he's curious, so he calls.

"I'm gonna sound like a girl, but tell me what happened," Sean says, before saying hello. His mom rolls her eyes at him from the doorway as she leaves.

"Well, I was telling her we needed her, and trying to get her happier…"

Finn explains the story, and falters in the middle of it, as if even he has forgotten what happened.

"…And then she just kissed me." Yeah, he totally forgot what happened. Sean rolls his eyes. Sure, he sounded like a girl looking for information to gossip about, but Finn was a fucking pansy.

Finn tells him that Mr Schue has assembled a Journey medley for Regionals, to teach them that although winning was awesome and all, the journey was way more important.

"Me and Rachel have a duet," Finn admits, after a while. "Ever heard of the song _Faithfully_?"

Sean admits he hasn't. "I'll ask my mom to look it up tonight," he promises. He really is curious about Journey… Rachel had never got him to sing any songs by them.

After a little bit more of a chat, Finn says he's got some homework to do (practicing choreography, Sean bets) and Finn hangs up, sounding weary yet really happy at the same time.

* * *

When he asks his mom about the song _Faithfully_, her eyes shine brightly. "Oh, that's a beautiful song," she says. "It's very romantic. It was playing one of the times I went on a date with your father."

Sean is tempted to ask his mom to burn out his brain with bleach too, but thinks better of it. "Can I hear it? Apparently, Finn and Rachel have to sing it as a duet for Regionals."

A knowing look appears on his mother's face. "I always knew there was something between them…" she says softly, before fetching the laptop.

* * *

Sean grins like a stupid person when he hears _Faithfully_. The words weren't exactly Finn and Rachel, but they were close enough. And if he imagined hard enough, he could see Finn and Rachel drawing everyone's attention with their romantic tension…

Sean Fretthold has never met Will Schuester, but he's pretty certain that the man knows his music _and_ his students.

* * *

The week is long.

Rachel tells Sean that she is unable to come over for singing lessons due to the fact she would be 'practicing mercilessly' for Regionals. Finn is just as busy (but hell, Sean figured he needed all the practice he could get). However, Finn never mentions he hallway kiss Rachel had given him since the Monday, and Rachel doesn't mention it at all.

It wasn't as if they had forgotten: rather, they were shoving it aside like true professionals so they could be their best for Regionals. But they both seem happier, and that was enough for Sean to get through the week.

He asks his mom to go on YouTube everyday and let him hear some Journey songs. He hears _Any Way You Want It_, _Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'_, and _Don't Stop Believin'_. (According to Finn, their Glee Club shits on that song, and makes Journey take a run for its money.) He listens to _Lights_, _Faithfully_… name any Journey song, and he has listened (or is planning to listen) to it. His mom unearthed his iPod, and got him Journey's Greatest Hits from iTunes.

By Friday, he had learnt all the words to the songs that Finn and Rachel were to perform the next day, at Regionals. It made him feel like he was going to be singing along with them.

* * *

Saturday drags on as if it is one of the longest days of his life. (And he knows what a long day felt like.)

He would really appreciate it if someone could just call, or even text what was happening. The silence of his house was making him crazy, and not even the quiet burble of his fish tank could calm him down.

At 12:15 that afternoon, Finn sends him a text. _Quinn just had her baby girl. Puck is freaked but real happy._

At 12:16 comes, _We nailed our performance. We're gonna win for sure._

At 1:00, the final text comes. _We came last. We didn't place. It's over._

* * *

He doesn't hear anything from Finn and Rachel for days.

As much as he misses their presence, he knows why they haven't been around. Glee Club is over. The only thing that really brought Finn out of his shell. The only place Rachel felt special, popular. Gone. Disbanded.

However, on the Wednesday after Regionals, Rachel calls. "I'm so sorry for the big gap between our singing lessons," she apologises, her voice sounding so terrifyingly flat.

"It's okay," he reassures her. It is. He isn't mad. As long as the lovebirds got their act together and were a couple now.

"I hope you've been practicing."

"I have. I was encouraged by Finn to learn Journey."

Sean knows this is the wrong thing to say, because he hears Rachel's breath hitch, and the "That's great. I've got to go, bye" comes out in a rush.

He feels like a fucking douche afterwards.

* * *

Finn calls the next day.

"We're practicing our final number."

Sean can tell how hurt Finn sounds. He doesn't know if Finn will cope with answering his question without raging. "What is it, man?"

"_To Sir, With Love_. We owe it to Mr Schue, you know?"

To be honest, Sean doesn't really know. But if all those changes in Finn—from sweet, naïve Finn to manly, smart(ish) Finn—all happened because of Mr Schue (and Rachel), well, then he _did _deserve a thanks.

Sean didn't have anything really to talk about to Finn. Although there had been hope, the week had been laced with a negative vibe. The new one, however, was full of grief.

He hangs up shortly afterwards, leaving Finn with these parting words: "You better give it your all then, Finnster."

* * *

Four days later, he gets an impromptu visit from Finn and Rachel (at the same time, which is a surprise), who are hand-in-hand, beaming like crazy people.

"We've got another year!" they exclaim together, and suddenly Rachel has flung her arms around his body, and although he feels nothing, a warmth gathers in his heart. And it's not simply because he is being hugged. He is just so happy that _Glee isn't over_. He barely knows anything about Glee; it's just that Finn and Rachel's feelings were infectious and when Glee made them happy, it made his days less dreary.

"That's great!" It's really the only thing that pops into his head at that moment. But it sums up his feelings about everything. It really _was _great.

And Finn and Rachel were _still _holding hands.

Although sorely tempted to raise an eyebrow, Sean manages not to. Just. But after a few moments of awkward conversation, Rachel excuses herself to the bathroom and finally lets go of Finn's massive hand.

When Sean is certain she can't hear what they will be talking about, Sean says, "What the hell was _that_?"

"The hell was what?" Finn asks, looking genuinely confused.

"The hell was with all that handholding crap with Rachel? I mean, I know you kissed her, but what else?"

Ironically enough, it was Finn who raised his eyebrow as he said, "Dude, don't be offended, but you're starting to sound like a chick."

"And you're starting to sound smart and if I could still move, I'd hit you. So, the fuck is going on?"

Finn blushes. And Sean is just hoping Finn doesn't say he slept with her, or something, because Sean isn't sure if he can take the trauma. "Well, before we sung _Faithfully_," Finn begins, looking down, "I went up to her and she said, 'Break a leg', and I just told her I loved her."

It's a relief it wasn't anything more terrifying, and he's proud of his boy _finally _realising that he is in love with Rachel. (It probably seemed painfully obvious to everybody _except _Finn and Rachel.) However, he can't help but laugh. Of course, Finn has the worst timing in the world. But, this is Finn Hudson, and Sean knows the boy has no idea what good timing _is_.

What he doesn't know is that as Rachel comes back from the 'powder room', she overhears Sean laughing as he says, "Slick, Hudson. Real slick."

And Rachel Berry smiles as she walks towards Sean's bedroom door.

* * *

**Sorry this took so long! I finished the chapter, but forgot about it... then I had exams, and then the Finchel Breakup... ): **

**Anywho, I've got no inspiration for the Summer chapter I was planning to do, so the next Sean the Shrink instalment will be based around Special Education and A Very Glee Christmas, because that's when Finchel becomes all stuffed up again (thanks, RM). The only problem is, I don't think I'm going to continue it in this story, so look out for a possible _Sean the Love Doctor _published here in the New Year!**

**I hope this Happy!Finchel cheered you up (seriously, Finn? 'Officially' breaking up with Rachel?)**

**Also, REVIEW~!**

**tashieeeee.**


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